Citation
Page reference: Christopher Ratté and Peter D. De Staebler (eds.). Aphrodisias V. The Aphrodisias Regional Survey (Verlag Philipp von Zabern: Darmstadt/Mainz, 2012), 323, 324, 325. <http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/93174>
Description
Local Name: Aphrodisias, Southeast Necropolis
Local Information: Field 1222 ** Wheat
Latitude: 37.42.16.6
Longitude: 28.43.55.5
Elevation: 531m
Axis: South
Description: Relatively well preserved underground tomb chambers; only partially cleared; superstructure partially preserved as well. Two underground vaulted chambers and the marble platform surrounding the dromos are built on a north-south axis. The roughly square northern chamber (n-s 4.80 m, e-w 4.75 m) is cleared to within about 2.0 m of the vault, which is collapsed to the north and south. The doorway leading to the smaller southern chamber (n-s 2.36 m, e-w 2.72 m) is 0.74 m wide, and the doorway leading to the dromos is 0.71 m wide. On the dromos side the second opening is vaulted, while on the chamber interior both doorways are built with massive marble lintels and jambs. The dromos itself is 1.12 m wide and extends at least 3.70 m to the southern edge of the entrance platform; it was covered with stone slabs supported on a lip that projects from the adjacent platform stones. The platform appears to have been near ground level, and sitting atop it are four bench blocks originally set in a pi-shaped arrangement that faced inward toward the dromos. The e-w section of the bench is directly above the doorway between the dromos and the southern chamber. Clamps and cuttings in the upper surfaces of these blocks indicate that the structure continued upward. In section, the intrados of the northern vault reaches a height above that of the top of the bench blocks; however, any traces of a superstructure there are lost. The masonry of the vaults and chamber and dromos walls is consistent. All the substructures are built of roughly coursed marble petit appareil masonry. The blocks in the vaults are on average longer and thinner than those in the walls, and fewer leveling or chinking stones are used. The vault stones appear to be laid radially from the level of the spring point, though none are visibly wedge shaped. The stones used in the narrow vault at the north end of the dromos were clearly cut as tapered voussoirs.
Finds: about 60 fragments of roof tiles, a lot of pottery, marble chips (esp along east edge of platform), a couple pieces of glass